State Park Recognized For 50 Years Of Weather Records

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

The Valley of Fire State Park was recognized last week for the 50 years of weather and climate data gathered and recorded at the park in partnership with various regional and national entities that monitor weather in the U.S.

In a special ceremony held at the park Visitors Center on Thursday morning, Dec. 8, Nevada’s oldest state park was recognized as an active part of the Cooperative Observer Program (COOP), a broad network of weather stations located all across the country. These stations provide local weather and climate data to agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS).

Representatives at the Valley of Fire weather station have taken detailed temperature and rain gauge readings every morning since 1972.

In some brief remarks at the beginning of the program, Nevada State Climatologist Dr. Stephanie McAfee gave some high points of the fifty years of data gathered at the Valley of Fire station. She said that this weather station had recorded incredible extremes during that time.

The station has recorded a temperature range of over 100 degrees, she said. This ranged from a low of 12 degrees recorded in December of 1990, to a high of 120 degrees observed in July of 2021.

The Valley of Fire rain gauge has logged more than three inches in a single day, McAfee added. But it had also gone nearly 200 days without collecting any precipitation at all.

McAfee applauded the efforts of the many observers over the years who had logged the data every day.
“You have the gratitude of every scientist who has used weather information from COOP stations like this one to answer weather and climate questions about a host of things,” McAfee said. “That means that you have been supporting the science of literally thousands of researchers.”

Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto sent a recorded message to be played at the ceremony. Her brief remarks appreciated the observers for their diligent work over the years and its impact in climate research in the desert southwest.

Representing Congressman Steven Horsford, Ruben Rodriguez presented a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition to Valley of Fire staff for their efforts in this program.

Two Governor Certificates of Recognition, from Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak’s office, were awarded at the ceremony. NWS meteorologist Jen Varian presented the first of these to Tracy Strassburg, for coordinating the weather observation program at Valley of Fire for more than 10 years now.

The second certificate, presented by NWS Meteorologist-In-Charge Marc Austin, was awarded to the entire Valley of Fire staff for their civic contributions and 50 years of service on the daily weather information.

In a few comments, NWS Western Region Chief Sean Wink talked about why on-the-ground weather observation is still needed, despite all of the modern technological tools used today.

“We have radar and we have satellites that we can use,” Wink said. “But without some ground truth – without knowing what is happening on the ground – we can’t verify our forecasts. We need that ground truth as well as the climatological record created over decades, to study the trends that are happening out there.”

Wink presented three awards. The first was presented to Valley of Fire Supervisor Randy Denter. The second was to Tracy Strassburg. And the third was to former park supervisor Jim Hammons, who collected data every day at the station for the 20 years he served as its supervisor.

Hammons, who was not able to be in attendance at the event, sent a few remarks to be read to the audience.
“I can’t think of anything noteworthy to say other than thanks for the honor,” he wrote. “It is nice to receive notice for doing something simple every day for years and years and years.”

Another former park supervisor, Craig Robinson; who now serves as the State Parks South Region Manager; made a few remarks about the importance of the weather station. Robinson recalled that he had begun his career at Valley of Fire as a ranger.

“I remember my first day riding around with Jim Hammons,” Robinson said. “Of all the many things that I had to learn from, him that day, I think the most important was, ‘Get the weather every morning!’ That is still ingrained to this day.”
“It is great to be part of this,” Robinson added. “Fifty years is a great accomplishment and we look forward to fifty more years.”

The Valley of Fire weather station equipment is located in the landscape just behind the park Visitor’s Center.